Abstract
Central hemodynamic parameters, hand blood flow, and plasma norepinephrine were measured shortly after admission in 6 patients with acute myocardial infarction and pulmonary congestion. The patients were examined repeatedly with 2 to 3 hours’ interval during the initial treatment. No correlation was found between the plasma norepinephrine, the hand blood flow, the central hemodynamics and the clinical condition of the patients. However, a statistically significant correlation was found between changes in hand blood flow or hand flow resistance and changes in plasma norepinephrine. The changes in the clinical condition were accompanied by simultaneous changes in hand flow. It is concluded that measurement of changes in hand flow is useful for monitoring changes in sympathetic tone in patients with myocardial infarction complicated by left ventricular failure.